Dobby's Departure
by mrs.bowtruckle
Summary: Voldemort has taken over and the Carrows are on their way to Hogwarts to teach. Snape knows the danger Dobby will be in so he tells him to leave Hogwarts. 3 chapters of what Dobby does while Harry, Hermione and Ron are on the run. Set during DH.
1. Chapter 1

This one will consist of 3 relatively short chapters because it makes the most sense to me to post it like that instead of just adding line breaks.  
It is one of my favourite stories that I've written and because I'm such a big softy, it still makes me tear up a bit each time I read it. No judging though... Dobby and Winky are two of my favourite characters.

* * *

Dobby was sadly making his way back to the kitchen, he had just been to see Professor Snape and he'd gotten some terrible news. Now he had to go tell Winky that he had to leave Hogwarts.  
He went in through the fruit painting and moped over to where she was sitting next to the fire place, a bottle of butterbeer in her hand.

"Winky," Dobby squeaked, taking her free hand. "I is having to leave Hogwarts. Professor Snape is saying so. He is saying that Dobby knows too many things and it's not safe for Dobby to be here. He is telling Dobby that he has to go stay with Professor Dumbledore's brother coz he will hide Dobby from all the dark wizards."

Winky dropped the bottle and looked up at him.  
"Well, I is going with you then, Winky wants to stay with Dobby."

"Winky can't. Winky must stay here. Professor Snape is saying so. He is saying that it is safer for Winky here and for Dobby to go."

Winky pouted, then her lip trembled and tears started flowing.  
"Winky is going with Dobby." She told him, stubbornly, through the tears.

"Winky can't. Winky must stay here. Dobby will be back when Harry Potter defeats the Dark Lord. Professor Snape says so. Professor Snape says Dobby knows too much for Dobby to be safe here." Dobby's voice wobbled as he told her, trying to hold back his tears.

"But what will Winky do?"

"Winky will stay strong for Dobby. Winky will stay here and help Professor Snape however she can and Winky will be a good elf, like she always is." Dobby held both her hands now and his tears started to fall as he tried to comfort her.

"I is not a good elf. But I is going to be now. I is going to be good and I is not drinking anymore and I is doing what you say."

"That's a good Winky. Dobby will be back and he is going to see Winky again."

"Dobby has to stay safe for Winky. Promise Winky that Dobby will stay safe and that Dobby will come back to Hogwarts and back to Winky."

"Dobby will stay safe. Mr Dumbledore will look after Dobby when Dobby tells him what Professor Snape and Professor Dumbledore says to tell him. But Winky cannot tell anyone any of this. Professor Snape says so."

"Winky knows, Winky is good at keeping her master's secrets."

"I is knowing that Winky is."

Both elves had managed to stop crying, but their noses were still running and their cheeks were blotchy.

"Dobby has to go now, before the Carrow's arrive. And Winky is to stay away from them if she can."

Winky nodded and started to cry again.

"Be safe Dobby. I is going to miss you."

"Dobby will miss Winky too. I is not knowing when I is going to see you again." He released one of Winky's hands, reached into his pocket and pulled out a sock. "So Dobby wants you to have this. This is the sock that Harry Potter used to free Dobby."

Winky took it with the same care that she would have used if it was her master's prized possession and wrapped it around her wrist like a bracelet.

"Winky will keep it with her always." She told him, now a blubbering mess.

They hugged, and then as Winky stepped backwards Dobby apparated away before he started to cry again.


	2. Chapter 2

Not many views on this story, is it because it's not a pairing story or the terrible summary? (No need to answer that, I was just musing out loud)

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Dobby tentatively pushed open the door of the Hog's Head and when he realised the bar was empty, he let out a sigh of relief.

"What's a bloody house-elf doing in my bar?" Aberforth muttered tersely, just loud enough for Dobby to hear.

Dobby quickly rushed over to the bar and climbed up onto a bar stool. Even though he remained standing, his head was the only part of him visible. He bowed low and then looked up at Aberforth.

"Mr Dumbledore, sir, I is Dobby the house-elf. I is a free elf who is been working at Hogwarts. I is knowing lots of secrets that Professor Dumbledore had and he is warning Dobby that he must leave Hogwarts and hide before Professor Snape and the dark wizards try to hurt Dobby and make him tell. Professor Dumbledore is telling Dobby that Mr Aberforth Dumbledore might hide Dobby and keep him safe if Dobby is offering to work for him."

Aberforth gave Dobby nothing but a stunned look for a few moment while Dobby stood there, wringing his hands with a hopeful look on his face.

"You mean to say, my brother told a house-elf to run from his master and that I would help? When you're going to have death eaters looking for you?" Aberforth managed to ask, incredulous.

"Oh no no no sir, Dobby has no master. Dobby is a free elf since Harry Potter helped to free him. Dobby was free to leave Hogwarts whenever Dobby wanted." Dobby reassured him, his head nodding up and down rapidly. "And since Dobby is leaving Hogwarts, Professor Snape is not going to waste his time looking for Dobby. Dobby just couldn't _stay_ at Hogwarts."

"So because my brother needs more secrets kept for him, he's sent you here telling me that I have to hide you." There was anger and resentment in his voice.

"No Mr Dumbledore, you is not _having_ to help Dobby and Professor Dumbledore is not telling you too. He is asking you too. Dobby is asking you. Dobby has nowhere else to go and Dobby wants to help Harry Potter. Professor Dumbledore is also telling Dobby that you has a way to keep an eye on Harry Potter. And Professor Dumbledore is telling Dobby that his brother was always the better brother, even if no one else is realising it. He is saying that Aberforth is more understanding when it comes to some things, though he is not telling Dobby what. Please let Dobby stay here, if you is able too?" Dobby finished the speech he had practised earlier in the Headmaster's office.

Everything he had said was true, Professor Dumbledore had told him to tell Aberforth all of it and Professor Dumbledore had meant it all.

Aberforth looked into the pitifully desperate eyes of Dobby and realised that having the small elf around wouldn't be so bad. It would be nice to have someone to talk to and help him out while he tried to keep an eye on potter. He knew Albus had coached the elf, but found he wasn't as bothered by it as he would have been years ago; it wasn't the elf's fault he was caught up in all of this, after all.

"That's all well and good, but how in Merlin's name am I supposed to explain why I suddenly have a house elf around the place?" He grumbled to Dobby.

"Professor Dumbledore is suggesting that you is telling people you won Dobby in a card game or took him as payment for an overdue tab." Dobby squeaked out, unable to hide the excitement in his voice. "Does this mean that Mr Dumbledore is going to help Dobby?"

"Yes I'll bloody well help you, but you have to help me in return. And you'll have to find something else to wear, even if Snape's not looking for you, you'll stand out like a dragon's egg in a chicken coop if you stay wearing that unsightly jumper and tea cosy. Figures my brother'd have an answer ready for everything." Aberforth grumbled, but the corners of his bearded mouth twitched to show the elf he was smiling.

Dobby squealed and jumped up onto the bar, grabbing Aberforth into a hug, tears welling up in his huge eyes.

"Thank you Mr Dumbledore! Dobby will be forever in your debt. Dobby will go and find something else to wear right now and get started on helping you, sir."

Aberforth prised the elf's arms off of him and looked him in the eyes.

"Ease up there, Dobby. If this is going to work and keep you out of harm's way, you'll have to act a little more elf like when you're down in the bar here." He said gruffly.

"Of course, sirs. Dobby is forgetting himself for a moment. Should Dobby punish himself?" Dobby asked, his eyes downcast, his shoulder's and ears drooping.

"Don't be an idiot! Of course not! You're a bloody free elf, ain't ya? Just try to remember to act like a house-elf." Aberforth told him. "Now head upstairs and get a spare pillow case out of the linen cupboard and put away your clothes for now." His tone softened slightly. He could never be cruel to house-elves and already he was quite fond of the strange elf that stood in front of him.

"Yes sirs. Dobby is so very happy Mr Dumbledore is helping him. Dobby wants to offer many thanks to you." He said cheerfully, his ears flapping as he hopped off the bench and headed up the stairs.


	3. Chapter 3

Man oh man do I hate this chapter, not how it's written, just what it means for Dobby...

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"DOBBY!" Aberforth roared, "QUICKLY!"

Dobby appeared next to Aberforth with a loud crack. They were in the upstairs parlour of The Hogs Head, Aberforth was standing in front of the two-way mirror and his face was ash white.

"What's wrong, Mr Dumbledore?" Dobby asked quickly.

"They got Potter." His voice was full of anguish. "I need you to go see if you can get him out before You-Know-Who gets there to finish him off."

Dobby's worried eyes opened wider than what they already were, and then they got a look of determination as he set his shoulders.

"Where is Harry Potter?" He asked with a steely voice that Aberforth had never heard the small elf use before.

"You're gunna need that attitude. He's locked in the cellar at Malfoy Manor." He told Dobby gruffly, knowing that this was about to be the elf's biggest challenge ever.

Dobby's eyes widened again, only this time it was wasn't with worry, it was with fear.

"Th-the M-mal-foys, Mr Dumbledore? D-dobby c-c-can't go to his old m-m-masters. Pl-please d-don't ma-make Dobby g-g-go there." His voice shook as he responded and his whole body trembled.

"You've got to, Dobby! I can't get in there. But you can. You know what to do; Potter's life is at stake. If You-Know-Who gets to him, it's all over. Dobby, look at me... you can do this. You can save Harry Potter. You can help him. Isn't this what you wanted?" Aberforth told the terrified elf with a firm and steady voice.

Dobby looked up and found some inner strength as he stared into Aberforth's blue eyes.

"I believe in you Dobby. You are not an average house-elf. You are strong, brave and loyal, and right now your friend needs your help desperately."

"But I is scared, Mr Dumbledore. I is wanting to help Harry Potter, but I is not sure if I is able to do it." Dobby told him, seeking some reassurance.

"Of course you can, Dobby. He's locked in the cellar, there won't be any trouble, you'll be able to grab him and his friends and apparate them somewhere safe, somewhere out of harm's way, got it?"

Dobby nodded his head rapidly as Aberforth finished talking.

"I is able to do that! Dobby can rescue Harry Potter and his friends! Dobby can!"

"That a boy! That's the attitude to have. You'll be in and out in no time." Aberforth praised Dobby to keep building his courage.

He hoped for Dobby's sake that it was going to be that easy, but anything could happen with those slime balls at that place.

'With Potter and his friends, Dobby should be ok; they'd do everything they could to keep him safe.' He thought to himself.

Dobby was about to disapparate when Aberforth stopped him.

"Wait a moment, Dobby. I want you to listen to me very closely now." Aberforth told him, his tone and facial expression very serious, "When you get him out of there, you stay with him from now on and do whatever you can to help him. The lot of you need to get away, somewhere out of the country and you keep each other safe. You hear me? You stay safe, Dobby. I don't want anything happening to you."

"Yes, Mr Dumbledore. Dobby will stay as safe as he can and I is going to keep Harry Potter safe and he will keep Dobby safe." He told Aberforth, nodding earnestly.

"Righto, well off you go then." He said to Dobby, his usual gruff tone back. "You got nothing to worry about; Malfoy Manor won't be a problem."

Dobby looked at him, paused, then rushed forward and hugged the tall man.

"Thank you, Mr Dumbledore, for taking Dobby and keeping me safe and being Dobby's friend for all this time. Dobby will never forget it and I is going to come and visit you often, when I is able to." Dobby squeaked out in a grateful tone.

"Course you will and I look forward to it. It's being good having you around. Now get out of here. You've got some kids to save."

Dobby stepped back and went to disapparate again, but a sudden burst of fear rushed through him and he paused. Aberforth gave him an encouraging smile and a nod and as the green eyes focused on the blue, Dobby disapparated into the unknown, fear and adrenaline coursing through his veins, knowing only that he would do all he could to save his Harry Potter.

Aberforth stared at the spot Dobby had occupied for a few moments and then glanced at Ariana's portrait.

"He'll be ok." He said quietly, more to reassure himself than Ariana's sad face. "He'll be back."


End file.
